Franz and Eva Cohn sent me your book at the occasion of my 85th birthday, and I wish to take the opportunity to tell you that I read it with great interest. It brought back many memories. I came to Sweden in Jan.1939. I was one of the 500 children admitted to Sweden under the "Kindertransport" program. After almost two years at the German-Jewish Landschulheim in Skane, I came to a children's home in Osby, was lucky to get enrolled at the local realskola, and took realexamen in 1942. Further studies towards studenten were not granted, but Mosaiska Forsamlingen took me in as springpojke, which got me to Stockholm, where I enrolled at a kvallsgymnasium and thus took studenten in 1945. During my work at Mosaiska I met most of the active members of the Jewish community, including many of your family. In 1946 I tried to go on a visit to the U.S., and thanks to your aunt, Mrs. Waldenstrom, who referred me to her husband, he arranged for me to make this trip on one of Grangesberg's malmbatar from Narvik to Baltimore. After my return to Sweden I lived for two more years in Stockholm, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1948.Here again I pursued night studies at UCLA, became a Certified Public Accountant. So we both have the same profession.
I admired your extensive research for your book, it is a work of love, and a document witnessing one particular phase of the Holocaust years. I can personally well relate to the trials and efforts made at the time at Socialstyrelsen and other Swedish authorities. If I live long enough, I may write about my experiences. I was in contact with Ingrid Lomfors for her book "Forlorad Barndom - atervunnet liv" and have read Svante Hansson's "Flykt och Overlevnad".Your book is a valuable addition to the Swedish history of that era.
No comments:
Post a Comment